エピソード

  • AI Gives HR Time Back. Todd Bertsch Says Don’t Waste It | SHRM ‘26

    AI Gives HR Time Back. Todd Bertsch Says Don’t Waste It | SHRM ‘26
    2026/09/25
    The real opportunity with AI isn’t doing more work. It’s giving HR the time to become more human again. AI can automate the questions, paperwork, and repetitive tasks that keep HR buried. But human connection, leadership, empathy, listening, and difficult conversations are still the work that matters. Todd Bertsch argues that AI’s biggest HR benefit may not be productivity at all. It may be giving people their time back. In this episode… Todd talks about why HR needs to lean into the human side of work, how AI can free HR professionals from task-heavy work, and why organizations need to rethink what they do with that reclaimed time instead of simply filling it with more work. Key Takeaways : AI can give HR its time back. Routine questions and administrative tasks can increasingly be handled by AI, freeing HR to spend more time with employees. The goal isn’t more work. If AI creates capacity, organizations need to rethink how work gets done rather than simply adding another layer of tasks. Human skills become more important, not less. Empathy, listening, conflict management, authenticity, transparency, and difficult conversations are becoming central leadership skills. HR should lean into the human. Todd argues that HR may have less reason to fear AI because the function’s core purpose is still about people and how organizations move forward. AI agents could become part of the workforce. The conversation around “workforce capital management” expands the idea of work to include AI agents operating alongside human employees. Institutional knowledge is changing. Some knowledge has always lived inside people. As AI agents take on work, organizations will also need to understand what knowledge and capabilities live inside those systems. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Todd Bertsch Mental Fitness & Positive Intelligence Coach, Todd brings 14 years of HR experience into his work as a speaker, marketing leader, and mental fitness coach, with a focus on helping people and organizations become better. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddmbertsch/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined : Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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    17 分
  • HR Fundamentals Still Matter in the AI Era. Steve Safier Explains Why | SHRM ‘26

    HR Fundamentals Still Matter in the AI Era. Steve Safier Explains Why | SHRM ‘26
    2026/09/24
    AI can accelerate HR work, but without strong fundamentals, the technology only makes bad thinking faster. AI is changing how HR gets work done, but strategy, fundamentals, judgment, and human capital expertise still matter. Steve Safier argues that HR professionals need to understand the underlying discipline before reaching for AI, while also connecting recruiting, engagement, learning, performance, and culture into one coherent employee experience. In this episode… Steve explains why his Columbia program teaches students to build their HR fundamentals before leaning heavily on AI, how knowing the desired outcome makes AI more useful, and why HR leaders need to align the messages they send through hiring, culture, performance, and career development. Key Takeaways : Build the fundamentals before using AI. Steve wants students to understand areas like compensation and HR strategy deeply before using AI to accelerate the work. AI still needs human judgment. If you don’t understand what you’re trying to accomplish, better prompting won’t solve the underlying problem. Know the output you want. Steve’s roller-coaster example shows how giving AI clear parameters can turn it into a practical planning tool instead of a blank-page assistant. HR is a system of connected messages. Hiring, culture, performance, career development, and learning all communicate something to employees. When those messages conflict, organizations create confusion and waste energy. Values only matter when they become real behavior. Organizations need to define what their values mean in practice, reinforce them through feedback and rewards, and stay consistent over time. Recruiting is only the beginning. Getting hiring right can make the rest of HR easier, but the employee experience has to continue through onboarding, learning, development, and beyond. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Steve Safier Director, Master of Science in Human Capital Management, Columbia University Steve brings an academic and practitioner perspective to HR, with a focus on connecting the fundamentals of human capital management with technology, strategy, and the realities of working life. LinkedIn : ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevesafier/⁠ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined : Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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    17 分
  • AI Is Exposing HR’s Messy Data. Susan Richards on Why Compliance Is Suddenly Everywhere | SHRM ‘26

    AI Is Exposing HR’s Messy Data. Susan Richards on Why Compliance Is Suddenly Everywhere | SHRM ‘26
    2026/09/24
    AI is forcing HR to confront the data, systems, and compliance problems that manual work used to hide. HR technology has spent years patching problems together with disconnected systems, spreadsheets, and human intervention. Now AI, compliance, risk, data quality, and HR technology are forcing those problems into the open. Susan Richards says the pressure is no longer just about adopting new technology. It is about whether the underlying data and processes can actually support the future. In this episode… Susan breaks down what she is seeing across the HR tech market, why compliance has become such a prominent concern, and how AI is exposing problems that organizations could previously work around behind the scenes. Key Takeaways : Compliance has moved to the center of HR tech conversations. Susan says it was the first time in about 15 years that she heard compliance consistently raised as a top client concern. AI is surfacing bad data faster. Organizations once had time to manually piece together, clean up, and work around messy information. AI’s demand for speed leaves less room to hide those problems. “Speed of thought” changes the standard. When HR expects technology to deliver answers almost instantly, outdated systems and unreliable data become much harder to ignore. HR tech categories are expanding, not simply replacing each other. Sapient Insights went from reporting on roughly 14–15 categories in 2020 to 22 categories the following year, with the research continuing to grow. Technology transformation creates people problems too. Sapient Insights works not only on technology problems but also on leadership, change, and culture issues that surface during transformation. The real problem may be underneath the technology. AI can accelerate what organizations already have. If the underlying data and processes are messy, faster technology can simply expose the mess faster. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Susan Richards Founder & Owner at Sapient Insights, Susan Richards works at the intersection of HR technology, research, leadership, change, and culture, with a particular focus on the problems organizations encounter when technology transformation meets real-world HR operations. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/susansapientinsights/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined : Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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    11 分
  • HR Keeps Putting People in Boxes. Steve Browne Says It’s Time to Let Talent Expand | SHRM ‘26

    HR Keeps Putting People in Boxes. Steve Browne Says It’s Time to Let Talent Expand | SHRM ‘26
    2026/09/21
    HR says it’s about people, but too often the system measures limitations instead of creating room for people to do more. What if HR’s biggest mistake is measuring what people can’t do instead of expanding what they can? Steve Browne argues that too much HR still relies on rules, rigid roles, and hierarchies that box people in. His alternative is simple: strengthen people’s talents, connect the dots, and build a culture where people are treated as more than their job description. In this episode… Steve breaks down why hierarchy gets in the way, why “that’s not my job” is the wrong mindset, and how one simple change helped a frontline employee succeed. He also shares why building connections earlier in his career would have changed everything. Key Takeaways : Stop measuring people by what they don’t do well. Steve argues that HR should expand people’s talent rather than confine them with more rules, structure, and limitations. People are more than their job titles. Finance doesn’t just “do finance” and marketing doesn’t just “do marketing.” Work is interconnected, and people can contribute beyond the boxes organizations put them in. “That’s not my job” can become a dead end. Steve’s approach is to bridge the gap, connect the person to the right resource, and help solve the problem rather than simply passing it along. See the person, not just the problem. Steve shares the story of Greg, a dishwasher with special needs, where a simple blue-tape system turned a recurring issue into something Greg could successfully manage. Connection is a career skill. Looking back, Steve says he would have intentionally built relationships earlier, including conversations with executives and stronger connections with frontline employees. Culture determines who feels comfortable showing up fully. The conversation connects hierarchy, vulnerability, leadership accessibility, and the expectation that people should be able to contribute beyond rigid organizational roles. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/ ⁠⁠Guest : Steve Browne Chief People Officer at LaRosa's Pizzeria, Steve brings a distinctly people-first view of HR, challenging rigid structures and encouraging organizations to see the talent, potential, and humanity behind the job title. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/steveb5/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined : Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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    9 分
  • The Hardest Part of HR Is Getting Leaders to Act. Stephen Explains Why | SHRM ‘26

    The Hardest Part of HR Is Getting Leaders to Act. Stephen Explains Why | SHRM ‘26
    2026/09/21
    The hardest part of HR isn’t spotting the problem, it’s getting leaders to act before the problem reaches the frontline. A change can be backed by data, obvious to the people closest to the work, and still go nowhere. For HR Business Partner Stephen Richardson, the real challenge is turning insight into action while helping employees absorb culture change, system change, engagement, and organizational change without making the transition harder than it needs to be. In this episode… Stephen shares what stood out during his first SHRM experience, why HR practitioners shouldn’t return with 180 ideas and try to implement them all at once, and why the toughest moments come when leaders know a change is needed but choose not to act. Key Takeaways : Don’t bring 180 ideas back from SHRM and try to do them all. Stephen’s approach is to store the ideas, then focus on the changes that can actually move the organization forward. Culture change starts with leadership recognizing the problem. When leaders don’t understand the need for change, they may underestimate how seriously it affects frontline employees. Change is uncomfortable, even when people say they embrace it. The conversation highlights a simple reality: people like being comfortable, and successful change requires understanding how the transition affects those experiencing it. HR’s hardest moments can happen when the data is already there. Stephen describes seeing trends, knowing a change is necessary, and having evidence to support it, only to face leadership resistance. HR problems can become operational problems. In a hospital environment, unresolved issues such as high turnover can eventually affect employees and, potentially, patient care. When change doesn’t happen, HR can still create a better landing place for employees. Stephen focuses on creating an atmosphere where employees don’t feel defeated, while recognizing that sometimes leaving for a better-aligned opportunity becomes part of someone’s growth. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Stephen Richardson Human Resources Business Partner, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Stephen brings a frontline HR perspective on culture change, leadership resistance, employee experience, and the difficult gap between knowing change is needed and actually making it happen. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephan-richardson-a371ba65/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined : Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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    8 分
  • AI Is Changing HR. Lois Gordon Says Don’t Forget the Humans | SHRM ‘26

    AI Is Changing HR. Lois Gordon Says Don’t Forget the Humans | SHRM ‘26
    2026/09/19
    The technology is moving fast, but the bigger HR challenge is preparing people for what comes next. HR has spent years talking about becoming more strategic. Now AI is accelerating that shift, but it also raises a harder question: what happens to the people whose work is changing? AI, workforce transformation, employee communication, compliance, and business partnership are becoming one conversation. In this episode… Lois Gordon explains why HR needs to bridge the gap between decision-makers and employees, prepare people for AI instead of simply rolling out new tools, and keep the human side of work at the center of technology-driven change. Key Takeaways : HR still has an information gap to solve. The people closest to the work often have critical information that decision-makers don't, making communication between employees and executives essential. AI conversations often skip the human piece. Organizations talk about streamlining and centralizing processes, but preparing employees for changing roles needs equal attention. Bristol County Savings Bank is creating space for employees to learn AI. Employees can discuss how they're using AI and the issues they're encountering without having the technology simply forced on them. AI agents raise organizational questions, not just technical ones. If agents become part of how work gets done, HR has to think about transparency, responsibilities, role changes, and who manages those tools. Fear is part of the AI conversation. Employees naturally wonder what happens to their roles when technology takes responsibilities away, making communication and education critical. AI doesn't eliminate the need for human judgment. Lois compares AI to a screwdriver: the tool can make work more efficient, but a human still has to operate it. In banking especially, she sees a continuing need for HR to be a strong business partner. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lois Gordon Vice President Human Resources at Bristol County Savings Bank, Lois brings 15 years of HR experience, from talent acquisition to business partnering, with a focus on connecting organizational decisions with the people affected by them. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/loisgordon/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined : Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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    12 分
  • AI Should Make HR More Human. Noah Mithrush Explains What Comes Next | SHRM ‘26

    AI Should Make HR More Human. Noah Mithrush Explains What Comes Next | SHRM ‘26
    2026/09/19
    AI is moving into HR fast, but the real question is whether it gives people more time to be human. AI is changing HR’s job description. Frontline workers make up about 80% of the global workforce, yet they’re often left out of strategy. At the same time, HR teams are buried in tactical work while AI, automation, agents, security, compliance, and employee expectations keep accelerating. In this episode… Noah Mithrush breaks down what HR on the front line actually looks like, why managers need more empathy, and how AI agents could take tactical work off HR’s plate without replacing the human side of the job. Key Takeaways : Frontline workers are about 80% of the global workforce, yet Noah says they’re often forgotten when companies build strategy. Good management isn’t about finding people who work exactly like you. Different perspectives, working styles, and life experiences can make a team stronger. Empathy is a management skill, not a soft extra. Managers need to understand their people, build trust, celebrate wins, and genuinely care about what’s happening in their lives. AI should remove tactical HR work, not remove HR. The goal is to free HR teams from repetitive questions and processes so they can focus on employees, development, and strategy. HR and payroll teams face an impossible compliance problem. Laws and regulations keep changing across locations, making it difficult for humans to track everything manually. The future isn’t simply AI replacing people. Noah’s bigger question is how technology can help organizations become more human, especially for frontline employees where the gap between the office and the workplace can be significant. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Noah Mithrush Director, Growth Marketing at Guusto, Noah focuses on the frontline workforce and hosts HR on the Front Line, a podcast exploring the challenges that often get overlooked when HR strategy meets the realities of frontline work. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/nmithrush/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined : Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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    22 分
  • Your Leadership Team Makes Million-Dollar Decisions. Lorne Epstein Explains What Matters | SHRM ‘26

    Your Leadership Team Makes Million-Dollar Decisions. Lorne Epstein Explains What Matters | SHRM ‘26
    2026/09/19
    In a world moving faster by the minute, decision-making has become a leadership skill you can’t afford to leave to instinct. Leadership teams make decisions worth millions, yet most organizations have no real way to understand how those teams make decisions under pressure. Cognitive flexibility, risk appetite, ambiguity tolerance, and team chemistry matter more when the ground keeps moving. In this episode… Lorne Epstein explains why leadership teams need to understand their decision-making patterns, how AI is changing the velocity of work, and why the best teams aren’t necessarily collections of “A players.” They’re teams with the right chemistry, guardrails, and ability to adapt. Key Takeaways : Leadership decisions can be worth millions. Lorne argues that even a small investment in understanding how a leadership team makes decisions can have meaningful value. Groupthink can quietly derail decisions. Teams can assess their collective decision-making patterns and identify when they need someone to challenge the prevailing idea. The pace of decisions is changing. Leaders have less time to wait for perfect information, making cognitive flexibility and comfort with ambiguity increasingly important. You will never have all the data. Effective decision-makers need to get comfortable making calls with imperfect and incomplete information. Guardrails can create speed. Clear boundaries let teams, especially sales teams, move quickly and creatively without constantly wondering whether they're crossing a line. The best team isn't necessarily the team with the most “A players.” Lorne argues that chemistry matters. Different decision-making styles can create a more effective team than simply stacking individual high performers. This episode was recorded live at SHRM Annual 2026 The Heroes of HR podcast is a limited series sponsored by isolved. isolved is an HCM platform that modernizes HR, benefits, and payroll across Healthcare, Hospitality, Manufacturing, and more. Learn more about isolved:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://www.isolvedhcm.com/⁠ Guest : Lorne Epstein Neuroscientist, Facilitator & Keynote Speaker at Electric Cow, Lorne studies decision-making and developed an assessment focused on how leadership teams make decisions, including cognitive flexibility, risk appetite, and ambiguity tolerance. LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorneepstein/ The Heroes of HR Podcast is hosted by Amy Miller, Product Evangelist at isolved ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/amycmiller/⁠ Ryan Leary, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanleary/⁠ William Tincup, Co-founder at WRKdefined LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tincup/⁠ Connect with WRKdefined : Site:⁠ http://www.wrkdefined.com⁠ TikTok:⁠ https://www.tiktok.com/@wrkdefined⁠ LinkedIn:⁠ https://www.linkedin.com/company/wrkdefined⁠ Facebook:⁠ https://www.facebook.com/WRKdefined/⁠ Twitter (X):⁠ https://twitter.com/WRKdefined⁠ Substack:⁠ https://wrkdefined.substack.com/⁠
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    11 分